When we arrived to live in Merthyr over 30 years ago it seemed full of 'characters'. In the streets, pubs and especially my workplace, a Comprehensive School, there were many fascinating eccentrics. Fascinating yet, at times rather frightening, because there was often another side to their strangeness. The first who made a great impression on me was undoubtedly 'Billy Sticks', who usually stood at the infamous Burton's Corner (where prostitutes were said to hang out). Billy sold the 'Echo' and had a characteristically plaintive call. He was an emaciated man (hence the nickname) with long grubby mac and an inevitably disgruntled expression. He is the subject of two of my earlier poems and also the writer Grahame Davies (once a reporter at the local paper, now lackey of the Crown) has an interesting story about how he once tried to save Billy from being attacked and was set upon himself. On one occasion Billy ended up in Court after he was accused of pleasuring himself in front of several elderly ladies on their way to chapel. The judge appreciated double entendre and gave him an 'absolute discharge'! Few bought his papers again. One of the other memorable characters was 'Omo' or 'Daz', a gypsy from the equally infamous Bogey Road, where he lived surrounded by old slag-heaps. His photo - superbly captured by Al Jones - is on the cover of my book of fiction 'Child of Dust'. He looked like Fagin but was, according to Al, a gentle man. He never washed and was always black as a miner come straight from the pit ; he nickname a classic example of Merthyr humour. I often saw him down town, as I did another whose nickname eludes me. He was an ex-boxer and spent his days railing at passing traffic and challenging cars with his raised fists. Everyone said he'd suffered severe brain damage in the ring, but he is one of the many casualties of boxing not recalled, as our town glorifies its contribution. You have only to read the poems and stories of one of Merthyr's best ever writers Leslie Norris (himself an amateur boxer) to realise the tragic consequences of that brutal sport. In later years, two characters stand out. I often saw Dezzy down the bus-station, where he was regularly collapsed on the floor. The place was his home and when vaguely sober it was obvious he had many friends there. He died lying down under its plasticky tubing and the cops tried to raise him, believing he was in another drunken stupor. I have written about him in my story 'Bus-station Clinic' (yet to be published). The most colourful character in recent years was Dave.......call him 'Dress-up Dave' if you like. I believe he came up from Ponty and now spends his fancy days in Cardiff. I've also written a couple of poems about him and his various guises. He once dressed as a policeman and was in deep conversation with real cops in the Arcade. My wife and young daughter encountered him one time in Walter's Photographers dressed as Edward Hitchcock, the brother of the famous auteur! This was one of his most original. I witnessed him as Crocodile DunDave, Mexican Dave , Dave Atlas (not a pretty sight!) and even Michael Jackson Dave. He always wore a label of explanation, even when it was obvious. He seemed to fit perfectly into the 'barkin' atmosphere of Merthyr Tudful and his move to Cardiff was baffling. In school, there were so many characters it seemed like every other person was larger than life. One who made his presence felt had actually retired, yet still appeared on the supervision list. He was a well-known amateur inventor yet once wrote an entire exam out on a roll of wall-paper and held it up in front of the class! He was renowned for not knowing the names of pupils he taught and one Parents' Evening decided to bring along the photos of classes and ask parents which children were theirs. Another teacher used to teach half of Pink Floyd in their Cambridge days. He was a genial charmer outside the classroom, who sometimes turned into a psycho inside it. Once he kicked a boy called Ratty in the goolies as he lay on the floor and another time chased a pupil down the corridor brandishing a chair leg, only to stop and greet a colleague with 'Good morning, Robert!' in mid-pursuit. A fantasist teacher was well-known for his incredible stories and I did manage to incorporate him into a poem, though I changed the context completely. He regaled both staff and pupils with his remarkable exploits : how he had played cards underwater, his feet trapped in a Giant Clam, or how he'd stood on the wings of a plane and kept balancing there even after it took off. Another teacher nicknamed 'Dick Bow Dai' was the epitome of this Jekyll & Hyde syndrome. A dapper man with an array of bow-ties, he had a serious drink problem. All his wit and good nature could turn in a second to vicious temper and he would hurl board-rubbers at pupils. I particularly liked one older teacher who often wore black beret and wellies to school (a Geography teacher, of course!). She had a distinct aversion to germs and at times wore a surgical mask in class ; when pupils farted she would instantly deodorize them. As time passed, teachers' tortures were banned and rightly so. However, the greyness of conformity presided over education and such characters sadly disappeared. Our Open Mic. nights at The Imp in Pontmorlais have attracted a few along over the years: a renegade actor from 'Pobl y Cwm', Gerhard the bodhran-maker who once played with The Chieftains, Bartzman the prize heckler and, above all, the Pirate who turned up in full garb brandishing his harmonica (check him out on our Facebook page). I'd spotted him down town earlier heading for the Civic Centre and thought he was a distant cousin of Dress-up Dave. He enlivened the evening, even if he did end up picking a fight with one of our regulars.

Any professional practicing tennis season unofficially begins together with the Australian Amenable. There will be always one or two smaller competitions in quick January to eliminate a year or so, but only when the game enthusiasts take its places along at the first Huge Slam of your year does indeed the measures really heat up.

express gratitude you for the efforts you been putting on making your location such an interesting and informative location to browse through. I’ll be travelling to your location again to gather some more precious data. You really did a good job.

Wales has one of the earliest literary traditions in Northern Europe, stretching back to the days of Aneirin and Taliesin and the haunting Stafell Cynddylan, which is the oldest recorded literary work by a woman in northern Europe. Thanks.

Throughout each civilization and language, poets have used various styles that have changed through the course of literary history, resulting in a history of poets as diverse as the literature they have produced. Thanks.

I admire the valuable information you offer in your articles. I will bookmark your blog and have my children check up here often. I am quite sure they will learn lots of new stuff here than anybody else!

Whether there is, it 's not out good grades, in the research paper had books, as well, paper purchasing philosophy is providing writing services of paper in the true sense of the term is a good way of another.mty

A suitable plan from your service provider would make allowance for the necessary space to launch your website. Such premium plans are backed with appropriate anti-spam machinery, advanced email, blogging software, SEO tools and many advanced security features.

Merthyr of what I think was a gracious place full of characters. I always used to wonder about the credibility and grandeur of it. The poetic language in posh pirate is also simply out of the world. Keep updating this page. Thanks a lot.

I am so delighted I located your blog, I really located you by mistake, while I was watching on google for something else, Anyways I am here now and could just like to say thank for a tremendous post and a all round entertaining website. Please do keep up the great work.

A very good and informative article indeed . It helps me a lot to enhance my knowledge, I really like the way the writer presented his views. I hope to see more informative and useful articles in future.

After reading your article I was amazed. I know that you explain it very well. And I hope that other readers will also experience how I feel after reading your article. I feel very grateful that I read this.

I always notices that your blog posts are so unique and well explained with deep information. The best thing which I like most in your articles is that your articles are so easy to understand because it was written in so easy language and it really helps newbie bloggers like me.

The training course was complemented by the facilitation of reflection on personal motivation to be a leader and self-evaluation. In addition, creativity and communication skills were built up, along with support for inter-cultural exchange, and fostering of mutual understanding between young people in different countries

Lots of thanks for this post.I think it is a very good post. It helps us many away. So many many thanks for this article <a href="http://www.happymothersdayquotesimages2015.com/2015/04/happy-mothers-day-cards-2015.html"> mothers day cards</a><br>and
<br><a href="http://www.happymothersdayquotesimages2015.com/"> happy mothers day </a><br><a href="http://www.happymothersdayquotesimages2015.com/2015/04/happy-mothers-day-greeting-card-2015.html"> happy mothers day images </a><br><a href="http://www.happymothersdayquotesimages2015.com/2015/04/happy-mothers-day-greeting_95.html"> happy mothers day quotes</a><br><a href="http://www.happymothersdayquotesimages2015.com/2015/04/happy-mothers-day-messages.html"> mothers day ideas</a><br><a href="http://www.happymothersdayquotesimages2015.com/2015/04/happy-mothers-day-messages.html"> mothers day flowers </a><br>The information you have shared is of very much importance and I really appreciate your efforts for being so kind by sharing this valuable information with all of us.

I have searched many sites but was not able to get information same as your site. I really like the ideas and very interesting to read so much and Please Update and i would love to read more from your site

It's a fact that your blog posts are so unique and interesting and I enjoys a lot while reading your posts because you explained your post very deeply in a very easy and clear language. Thanks for your support and Happy Blogging :D

<a href="http://happynewyear2016imagesfree.com/">Happy New Year 2016 party ideas for kids and adults</a>
<a href="http://happynewyear2016imagesfree.com/">Happy New Year SMS 2016</a>
<a href="http://happynewyear2016imagesfree.com/">Happy New Year Songs 2016</a>
<a href="http://happynewyear2016imagesfree.com/">Happy New Year Wishes 2016</a>
<a href="http://happynewyear2016imagesfree.com/">Happy New Year Pictures 2016</a>
<a href="http://happynewyear2016imagesfree.com/">Happy New Year Images 2016</a>

Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed most commonly on December 25. <a href="http://happynewyearimages2016s.com/xmas-images-and-greeting-cards-for-google-emails-and-bbm/">Xmas images gif</a> Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner

I was very happy to find this page. I need to thank you for ones time just for this wonderful read!! I definitely loved every bit of it and i also have you book marked to look at new things on your site.